Layers of Hope-Quilting 911 is NOT just a blog, it is a way for quilters around the world to come together and help support those voices we hear in our most vulnerable hours, the 911 Operator.
You may never talk to a 911 operator, you may never know or meet one, but I can tell you their dedication to their profession, to each other as a team to the officers and fire fighters they protect and especially to you, the public, goes beyond the normal dedication of most people.
These are the men and women who stay up all night so you can sleep knowing if you need them, they are there. They work holidays protecting closed businesses, your home while you are on vacation and perhaps you while in new surroundings.
While you may see the police officer or fire fighter that helped you, many times you will never see the 911 operator who kept you calm until help arrived. While you thank the officer or fire fighter who arrived to help you, chances are the 911 operator is already working another emergency and helping someone else.
They love their careers and it takes someone special to do the job because aside from the paycheck and benefits, it is a thankless job most of the time.
911 professionals have the same trials we all do:
- They have good kids and kids in prison
- They divorce
- They suffer death's of children and spouses
- They suffer debilitating illnesses
- Their homes get destroyed by fire, tornadoes & hurricanes
- They are victims of domestic violence
- They struggle paycheck to paycheck like most people do
Loosing a home or family member is awful to anyone of us, but can you imagine being at work and taking a call of a house on fire and realizing it is your house and you must remain calm, in control and at work?
I can! I have taken 911 calls only to have the voice of a co-worker tell me they were just in a roll-over accident and my job at that moment is to get help and take care of my co-worker on the phone.
While there are many agencies and organizations that step up to help fire fighters, police officers and our veterans and their families when they need help, there is only one organization that I know of helping dispatchers and they need our help!
That is 911 Cares and Kevin Willet and his team. They reach out to those in need and they make a difference.
Kevin also has an amazing training team and organization that is dedicated to training 911 professionals to be the best they can be at PSTC and to give them the best tools for the job they hope they will never need!
I have worked to help 911 dispatchers as much as I can since Hurricane Katrina and Rita hit the gulf coast so many years ago. I have made quilts for fire victims, ill children of dispatchers, ill dispatchers, dispatch centers.
I sent quilts to the dispatchers of the Virginia Tech tragedy and I set up a Facebook site for those dispatchers of the Aurora Colorado tragedy and Newtown tragedies and with the help from quilters all over the world, we made a difference.
We have a dedicated Facebook page called Layers of Hope-Quilting 911 at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Layers-Of-Hope-Quilting-911/401592493230782
During tragedies, this is where I will post any and all information I can get from Kevin so you can reach out and let someone know you care.
Believe it or not, it is not always a quilt, not always money, sometimes the biggest need is simply a card saying you care and are praying.
This blog will be changing rapidly over the next few weeks, I am working on somethings to get this to a level that the next time there is a need, I can just walk out my back door and pick the items I need off a shelf and send on their way or simply ask you all for help and know it will be done!
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From head to heart to hands, I quilt! I May Only Be One Person, But Together We Can Make A Difference. Bless you for stopping by!